Indoor lighting accounts for nearly 15% of energy use in most of the households, and while new technologies are working to drastically reduce this energy consumption, things like Sparks LEDs could prove very useful. This design from Daniel Becker uses energy efficient LED light bulbs, which can be put together to create a striking light sculpture.

It is not very difficult to create the light sculpture, the design can be put together and dismantled the same way as one would screw or unscrew a traditional light bulb. But of course, the Sparks offer a lot of creative, aesthetic and environmental advantages over those plain old light bulbs.

These structures can be put together in a number of ways to suit the personal preferences of the user, and require no technical expertise to install, making the design all the more alluring. Spark lights can be installed indoors and outdoors, and their suction cups make it possible to put them on walls as well.

Source: Inhabitat

Can a fan still cool you if it doesn’t have blades?

Apparently so, if it’s the new Dyson Air Multiplier ™ fan pictured above.

Dyson, a company well-known for advancing vacuum cleaner technology, has now developed a new generation of innovative bladeless fans. These fans use the simple principles of fluid dynamics –without the traditional fan blades –to multiply air flow 15 times, ultimately expelling some 119 gallons of air every second.

What more, since there are no blades, the Dyson Air Multiplier ™ fan is safe and easy to clean. Air flow is uninterrupted, and velocity is adjusted with a control similar to a dimmer switch.

How does it work? The Dyson website explains it like this:

1. First, an energy efficient, brushless motor draws air in using technologies similar to those at work in jet engines and turbochargers.
2. Airflow is accelerated as it passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp.
3. Air from behind the fan is drawn in by a process known as inducement.
4. Air from around the fan is also drawn in by a process known as entrainment. Altogether, the airflow is amplified 15 times.

You can watch an entertaining video of people reacting to this remarkable new fan here.

Technology like this isn’t cheap, however. The 12” version of the Dyson bladeless fan is available for $329.99. The 10” version will set you back $299.99

Source: Dyson

"Spiraling Costs," Paper and Beeswax, 16 in. x16 in. (4 in. deep)

Ever get so frustrated with the current economic downturn that you simply want to rip your financial documents to shreds?

Artist Jaynie Crimmins did.

And then she added some beeswax… ultimately creating a new series of multi-media works that she calls “Home Economics.”

“The series addresses the recession, which has impacted our lives both financially and psychologically,” Crimmins explains. “Created from my recycled financial documents, these repetitive, meticulous and obsessive compositions spiral out of a central point.”

"Spiraling Costs," in detail

Crimmins, who has been working with found and relinquished materials since 2003, sees her work as an opportunity to re-think the ordinary.

"Buried by the Bank 1," Paper and Beeswax, 8 in. x 8 in. (2 1/2” deep)

“My work utilizes reclaimed materials in a personalized and intimate way with the hope of expressing universally experienced themes,” the Atlanta-based artist says. “Fragmenting these elements and using beeswax helps to “immortalize” and transform these materials by reconfiguring the commonplace, reusing the unusable, as well as honoring the stuff of everyday lives.”

"Buried by the Bank 2," Paper and Beeswax, 8 in. x 8 in. (2 1/2” deep)

“Spiraling Costs” will be on exhibit at “ReMade,” an art show celebrating the inventive use of recycled, reclaimed, or renewable materials, sponsored by “g” Green Design Center, in Mashpee, MA, from October 9 through November 30.

You can see more of Crimmins’ extensive portfolio at her website: www.jayniecrimmins.com
Contact her directly at:  jgcrimmins@gmail.com

Related content: David Macaluso creates art with used motor oil

In the midst of the  global economic recession, one good opportunity has showed up in the United States in the form of what may be described as green careers. Even as most other companies are struggling to survive, green companies are seeing a bright future.

Green jobs not only are long-term but also cut across all economic lines.

Here are a few of the top green jobs:

• Landfill-gas plant operator: Turning gas into energy is big business now. One who possesses even a GED or high school diploma can get this job.

• Solar-panel installer: More and more institutions such as colleges, technical schools, and extension services are offering programmes in the solar-panel sector. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) offers certification programmes that will train people in solar-panel installation.

• Wind-turbine machinist: Since the market for wind energy is growing, the wind-power sector now employs more Americans than the coal industry does.  One already having a degree or background as a machinist or engineer has a good chance of becoming a wind-turbine machinist or a wind- turbine installer.

• Green builder: The federal and local governments insist on more certification and higher energy efficiency on all buildings. It is possible that green building, with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, will become a standard in construction.

• Green engineer: A good opportunity for one with an engineering background in college. The job involves, among others, designing waste treatment and recycling facilities and transportation systems. Unemployed car engineers should be on the lookout for jobs in these fields.

Fat Women, Harming the Environment!

Fatty fatty two by fours eat more than thin people. Consequently, they are more likely to travel by car. And, don’t you know that cars have to work harder to carry bigger people, too!

“When it comes to food consumption, moving about in a heavy body is like driving around in a gas guzzler,” researchers wrote in their study. The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

It is estimated that each fat person is responsible for about one ton of carbon dioxide emissions a year more than the average than a thin person. The calculators have determined that the average European accounts for 11 tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year.

Save the world! Go on a diet!

Image by Malingering

It doesn’t surprise us, because we already knew that cars make us fat, but bringing more profits for the companies we work … that’s a new one. And I’m thinking about it from the blogger’s perspective who’d be much more productive, but what do you do when you work from home? How about cycling (or exercising) at least a few times a week and embrace the “green” way? [via Pysorg]

Image courtesy of BikePortland.org

With shared ambitions and intentions, we’ve been part of the large Guardian Environment Network and these days they’re running a green survey that will help us/them improve our websites to bring info that interest you more.

To know what we should change, we need to know more about you, your opinions, your lifestyle. The survey should only take a few minutes (like 8mins) to complete and if you do it, there’s a chance for you to win a prize – £50 of Amazon vouchers.

All these being said, here’s the link.

Asia has some of their best – Miss China Zhou Yingkun, 22. Miss Macau Qian Wei Na, 22, Miss Thailand Piya Porn (her real name) Deejing, 20, Miss Singapore Ivy Leow Kian Peng, 25, Miss Philippines Karla Henry, 22, Miss Taiwan Tsai Yin Yin, 19 and Miss India Tanvi Vyas, 22.

I don’t know if you think these girls and their display of unity for a green lifestyle motivates you think green thoughts, but I sure like looking, um, thinking about it at their expense. At least they are not the PETA girls.

All images via Sina

What’s more, the finished product has helped prevent cancer in mice and the finding was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology. The researchers learned that cancer-proned (they get that way from eating genetically altered food) lived significantly longer than animals who didn’t eat the purple tomatoes.

The mice were genetically altered to develop cancer and die within 142 days. Given the tomato, they lived 182 days. Um, how about we don’t give the mice anything that will cause them to get cancer and see how much longer they live, huh?

“The next step will be to take the pre-clinical data forward to human studies with volunteers to see if we can promote health through dietary preventive medicine strategies” said research leader Prof Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre in Norwich.

The main finding – people can significantly improve their health by making simple changes to the daily diet. Gosh, eat right and exercise and you will live longer. – via DailyMail

University students can be seen wearing the fashion creations in the southern city of Haikou in South China’s Hainana Province. I suppose that’s one way to get students to read a newspaper.

“Hmm…I wonder what I am going to wear today?”

“Why not try the sports page, or the entertainment section?”

“Yeah, and you’d look pretty good in the funny papers or the classifieds.”

Fashion students in the local university were the designers. I suppose that one could buy a newspaper for a $1 and make several disposable outfits out of it. Now, where’ my water hose when I need it?